Rotograph Team Postcard help needed
 

Posted By: <b>Jeff J</b><p>Need some help.<br />This appears to be an early 1900's original Rotograph postcard of<br />the University of Chicago Foot Ball team.<br /><br />So far it seems to contain the famous coach Amos Alonzo Stagg,<br />as well as possibly Robert "tiny" Maxwell, Walter Steffen and Walter Eckersall???<br /><br />Beyond those possibilities I know nothing.<br />Can anyone help with either a set this belongs to (if any?)<br />or any other info about other possible players?<br /><br />Also can anyone confirm that those 4 mentioned above are actually in this photo?<br /><br />Any help would be appreciated.<br /><br />Thanks Jeff J<br /><img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1219284251.JPG">

Rotograph Team Postcard help needed
 

Posted By: <b>andy becker</b><p>if you email the scan to me, i will try to date and id the players for you.<br /><br />edited to add, i've got to blow the pic up....my eyes are older than i am <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br />

Rotograph Team Postcard help needed
 

Posted By: <b>Jeff J</b><p>Andy, Here's what I have learned so far: This identifies two college HOFers and the Coach.<br />I still know nothing about the card itself...ie: set name, type, scarcity or value...<br /><br />I think I have your answer: 1904<br /> <br />Here is how I came about this. I recoginized two of our Hall of Famers. Hugo Bezdek (row 2 2nd from right) and Walter Eckersall (row 1 far left) The only years that they played together were 1903, 1904 and 1905. I found a 1905 team shot in a book, so it's not 1905. I think it is 1904 and not 1903 beacuse Maxwell played on the 1903 team and I don't see him in the photo. The team roster does list a LW Maxwell but not RW Maxwell (Tiny) for 1904.<br /> <br />The number of lettermen for 1904 is 18. Players in the photo: 18. In 1903 they only list 16 letter winners.<br /> <br />Yes Stagg was the coach.<br /><br /><br />Thanks Jeff J

Rotograph Team Postcard help needed
 

Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>Rotograph Co. made postcards. If that's the maker, Rotograph Co. Postcard would be the name.

Rotograph Team Postcard help needed
 

Posted By: <b>jeffj</b><p>Dave Thanks. I figured, as it is imprinted that way in all 4 corners (embossed).<br /><br />Any idea what set it's from? I can only identify the baseball ones which came in the same lot. Those were easy. This one is still a mystery???!!!<br /><br />Thanks JJ

Rotograph Team Postcard help needed
 

Posted By: <b>Michael Moran</b><p>Sounds like you've got the date on the photo - I looked at the book Eckersall of Chicago by William Peterson and saw the picture of the 1905 team - with a date clearly on the football. But in Robin Lester's book Stagg's University there is another picture of the 1905 team and it has quite a few additional players in it. I have a 1911 Cap and Gown, the U of Chicago yearbook, and there is a picture of the 1910 team, also with a clearly dated football. The yearbooks says it is volume 16, so there was an earlier volume with the 1904 football team - maybe the University archives has one they could scan and it would match the postcard. The Spalding Football Guide goes back to 1904 and that might also have a picture. The Notre Dame Library has an almost complete set of Spalding Guides going back to 1893.

Rotograph Team Postcard help needed
 

Posted By: <b>andy becker</b><p>it is a 1904 team. the exact same image is in the 1905 spalding guide, page 20. <br />

Rotograph Team Postcard help needed
 

Posted By: <b>Jeff J</b><p>Andy,<br /><br />Regarding which Maxwell, I noticed the message above lists the Maxwell as LW Maxwell, so it IS a different guy... and not Robert "Tiny" Maxwell.<br /><br />So basically it's solved as to what year and shich players are on it.<br /><br />Now the question is since I cannot locate it in any guide, what set if from and what's it worth?<br /><br />Do I hang onto it (archival interest) or do I sell it?<br /><br />Thanks JJ<br /><br /><br /><br />